State government facing calls for greater transparency around location of released immigration detainees in SA
The state opposition says more details about immigration detainees in SA should be public but the minister says that shows they’re not paying attention.
SA News
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The state government is facing calls for greater transparency around the location of released immigration detainees now living in South Australia, after a released predator was accused of a sex offence.
Police Minister Joe Szakacs last week told parliament that five people released from federal detention have either travelled or are suspected to be travelling to the state.
However, on Monday he said that SA Police has now been advised by the Australian Federal Police that six detainees released by the federal government after a High Court ruling were now residing in SA.
“Three of these released detainees had existing state-based orders, and are under strict compliance, including electronic monitoring by the Department for Correctional Services,” he said.
“The remaining released detainees are subject to management by federal authorities.”
One of those under electronic monitoring was convicted sex predator Aliyawar Yawari, who faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with two counts of indecent assault – just three weeks after he was released from detention in Western Australia.
Documents released to The Advertiser by the Adelaide Magistrates Court revealed Yawari had been living at the Pavlos Motel, where the alleged incident took place on Saturday evening.
It has been confirmed Yawari, 65, was wearing an ankle tracking bracelet.
Opposition police spokesman Sam Telfer said the South Australian community should have been told earlier about the location of the monitored detainees.
He said it was not acceptable to have a situation where hardened criminals with potentially dangerous backgrounds are “just on the loose” in South Australia and the community is not told.
“Joe Szakacs had the chance to inform the parliament about the criminals under surveillance a fortnight ago but said nothing,” he said.
“It took further questions in parliament from the Opposition for Joe Szakacs to come clean on this serious issue.
“Joe Szakacs must reassure South Australians that they are safe from these criminals and must explain why he withheld such important safety information from the public.”
But Mr Szakacs said the information had been provided.
“The Liberals should wake up and pay attention in parliament, where this information was all provided over the two sitting weeks since the High Court’s decision,” he said.
“The spurious suggestion by the Liberals that federal detainees have been ‘let loose’ in SA is not only knowingly and dangerously wrong, but evidence they are taking their political instructions from Peter Dutton.
“SAPOL will respond rapidly and diligently to any calls or safety concerns.”
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